


Spicy Kimchi

by arimi_skywalker



Series: Spicy Series [2]
Category: Arashi - Fandom, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama & Romance, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2013-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 16:39:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arimi_skywalker/pseuds/arimi_skywalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p> <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/981109/chapters/1931933">Spicy Curry</a>'s sidestory (read it first if you don't want spoilers). Nino continues with his life after speaking with Ohno, and plays an important role in Ohno and Sho's relationship...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spicy Kimchi

**Author's Note:**

> **Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
>  __Disclaimer : fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
>  A/N: Thanks to my dears [](http://lauchan.livejournal.com/profile)[**lauchan**](http://lauchan.livejournal.com/) and [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;
> 
> _If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

Everything happened so fast.  
  
One minute I thought Ohno was going to be by my side forever, and the next, everything went up in smoke and I was left standing there, in my apartment, crying inconsolably in Jun’s arms.  
  
How I came to fall in love like that, I don’t think I even understand it myself.  
  
Ohno was someone special, no doubt about that, but it was the first time I had felt so abandoned and sad as to break down and cry. In fact, I didn’t feel like doing anything, but staying at home wasn't going to heal my wounds.  
  
After playing my very last card with Satoshi-I-insist-on-being-unhappy, I decided I didn’t want to keep moaning to myself about my bad luck like any other idiot, nor did I want to remain being simply the supermarket guy. He was no longer living at Sakurai the idiot’s apartment, which meant I wasn’t going to see him anymore, but even so, I didn’t want to keep working there. I needed a change of scenario. Meeting new people, working on something different, getting rid of seeing that retarded Maeda and, above all, never again setting foot in those aisles where I had spent hours chatting with Satoshi-adorable-smile, or that break room where I held him in my arms.  
  
I struggled to make a decision, but when I finally made the move to change both my job and my life...  
  
... I received an e-mail from him.  
  
_Damn it!_  
  
It had been five months since that telephone conversation, in which he shut down any kind of relationship between us and ended up blocking my phone number, but I was still upset and hurt. I had thought about deleting the e-mail altogether without even reading it, but I simply left it unread in my inbox.  
  
It took me nearly two weeks to actually read it. It was the longest e-mail I’d ever read in my life. In it, he apologized for his attitude and decisions, and explained his reasons for everything.  
  
_It was about time, Satoshi-slow-as-a-snail._  
  
Having been severely depressed for two months, I was furious now. Tremendously angry. If Satoshi-spicy-curry thought I would run to kiss his ass because he said he was sorry and was now ready to have a normal friendship with me, he was sadly mistaken. No matter how many times he said his phone number was still the same, I didn’t care. I wouldn’t call him.  
  
Now I was the one who didn’t want to speak with him.  
  
I began looking for a job as a programmer, which was what I had originally studied and the kind of job I really wanted to do. I went to interviews, handed my resume to every company I could think of, I even joined a couple of temp agencies, just in case they could find something for me. I wanted to work in what was my calling.  
  
I was constantly checking my cellphone, even while I was on duty at the supermarket. I always managed to find a minute or two to sneak away to the break room and check my phone screen. And just as I was about to take off on one of my clandestine escapades, I heard the chime of my ringtone from the frozen food area.  
  
I hurried up, carefully making sure Yoshitaka didn’t see me, and I slipped behind the nearest door to answer a call I hadn't been expecting at all. A well-known videogame company, which I hadn’t yet given my resume to, was calling to interview me that very same afternoon. I had to hold back in order not to scream out of joy.  
  
When I finished work that morning, I ate a quick lunch and threw myself into a suit and tie that I'd never worn in my entire life. Well, there was that one time, at my cousin from Hokkaido’s wedding, more than five years ago.  
  
For two hours and a half, I felt I was going to die from heat exhaustion in that damn suit, grilled under strong lights that didn’t exactly help to make me less nervous, as I tried to pretend I was a serious, formal person, while some tight ass corporate schmuck, in a much more expensive and elegant suit than mine, asked a million questions and tried to catch me off guard. But it was all worth it. I got that uptight goofball to hire me, and he said I'd start work the next month. Apparently, they were in a rush to release a videogame that was weeks behind schedule.  
  
I couldn’t believe it. I was finally going to be working as a programmer. And for videogames of all things! For me, it was more like a hobby than a job, an absolute dream come true. Since I was a child, I had dreamed about creating the very same games that had kept me glued to the TV screen for hours, and now I would actually be able to do it. It felt surreal.  
  
_Ninomiya, you are one lucky man. Definitely._  
  
My first day at the company wasn’t bad.  
  
In my department, my coworkers were all Japanese, but during my mid-morning break, I went down to get a coffee at the _konbini_ and noticed there were people of all nationalities hanging around. I stood next to one of the ashtrays in the smoking area to smoke a cigarette while drinking my coffee, and I could hear people speaking in five or six different languages. And not only Asian. I swear I heard English, French, and German at least. Later on, while speaking with another guy from my department, who was new as well, I found out that the videogames we programmed in Japanese were being translated into ten different languages to be sold all around the world.  
  
_Ha! I’m so going to score when I mention I work here..._  
  
On Friday that week, our boss took us to a _nomikai_ after work, under the premise of having us get to know our new colleagues and wanting to create a good working environment from day one. Yeah, right. As if we all didn’t know it was just an excuse to go out and get drunk. However, since the boss was the one to propose it, no one could decline.  
  
Truth be told, I was completely drained after working there all week. My hours at the supermarket had been limited just four a day, but now I was spending anywhere from eight to ten hours in front of a computer, typing non-stop. The salary was good and I liked the job, but I wasn’t used to working so many hours in a row and it was beginning to take its toll on me. And it's not like alcohol would help me feel better.  
  
Sitting in the _izakaya_ , beside my Japanese coworkers, I began to feel an uncontrollable drowsiness overtaking me. Boss stood up, gave a speech, of which I could only understand about half (he was a little tipsy as well and didn’t vocalize very well), and everyone began to clap, so I joined in the applause, unsure as to why we were all clapping, while two girls from the Chinese department brought in a table with a cream cake, decorated with cherries.  
  
Now, I don’t like girls, but those Chinese gals had such nice asses... If the Chinese men were anything like them, I was going to stuff myself silly in that company.  
  
I smirked as I took a sip from my glass of _sake_ and checked out all of the guys there.  
  
Starting from my right, there were my Japanese coworkers, the ones from my department, who kept trying to flirt with the Chinese girls who had brought in the cake and three blondes who looked like American. Or maybe they were European? At that time of the night, being exhausted and with a few drinks in me, I could barely differentiate men from women, let alone which country they came from.  
  
A little further away from me, there was a group of Koreans who were laughing while pointing at what remained of the cake, which had been cut and mostly served already. I looked at them curiously, wondering what they might be up to, and noticed one of them had a hole in his left earlobe. He probably had an earring, but took it off while at the company.  
  
_Note to self: get to see him with the earring on._  
  
I smirked again, planning to continue my scrutiny, checking to see if there was any more tempting prey to be found, when the group of Koreans all gathered around one of its members. I fixed my gaze on him as well, wondering what was happening, but I understood right away. The guy, who looked about twentysomething, opened his mouth in the sexiest way I'd ever seen and grabbed a cherry from his piece of cake, wrapping his plush lips around it and pulling it inside using his tongue.  
  
I think I had an orgasm right there.  
  
I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. But then, when I saw how he licked at the remnants of cream around his lips, again in that oh-so-sensual way, I had no doubt. My eyes hadn’t deceived me.  
  
_Oh God!_  
  
I didn’t approach him that night. It wouldn’t have been smart to attack him in front of the boss and wind up in trouble my first week on the job, even though I wanted to. In fact, I went home two hours later still feeling horny. After that scene, just the thought of seeing his face excited me.  
  
I didn’t care if he was Korean, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish. He had to be mine.  
  
On Monday, I must've looked like a desperate searching around the company for him. By midday, I had gotten to know in which part of the building the Koreans worked, but I still didn’t know Mr. Sexy’s name or what his position was. And it wasn’t like the few breaks I had during the day were that long, so I had to settle with looking for him ten minutes every two or three hours, depriving myself of having a smoke and coffee. I went home very annoyed because I wasn’t able to find him, even when I slacked when leaving work and stayed around the company a little longer, waiting to see if I saw him.  
  
And I had no luck the next day either.  
  
On Wednesday, while on my second break, I had to give up. That morning had been crazy. We had to rush and program what would normally take us an entire day in just four hours. It was hell. I needed coffee and nicotine urgently or I would start screaming from all the stress and pressure. There would be time later on to look for the Korean.  
  
I went down the _konbini_ and walked over to the smoking area.  
  
I was trying to relax, as much as one can relax while standing on the street having a coffee and smoking surrounded by a bunch of strangers, when a very familiar face dashed in front of me, checking his watch.  
  
My Korean.  
  
I immediately put out my cigarette, even though I had only smoked a half of it, and followed him.  
  
"Kim!", I yelled, but he didn’t turn around. "Park! Lee!... Choi?", I stopped, frustrated with myself, and clicked my tongue. "Come on! You have to be one of them. You’re Korean!"  
  
The last sentence wasn’t directed at anyone in particular.  
  
It was only my frustration spoken aloud.  
  
After two days of looking for the guy, now that I had found him, I couldn’t even talk to him because I didn’t know his name. I had followed him pathetically and tried to catch his attention by shouting out every Korean surname I knew, but he must be the only one in his country who didn’t respond to any of them. I snorted and pulled my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket again, ready to head back to the smoking area and get used to the idea of having lost my only chance, when a fresh, citrusy scent, caught my attention.  
  
_Where is that coming from?_  
  
I glanced up and saw the sexiest Korean in the company standing right in front of me, staring at me with curious and playful eyes.  
  
"Were you talking to me?", he asked.  
  
"Eh?", I blinked, confused.  
  
"You called a Kim, Park, Lee and... uhm... Choi. I’m not any of them, but that guy over there", he pointed to a guy who was crossing the crosswalk, oblivious to our existence. "He said you did it while you were following me"  
  
"You aren’t a Kim, Park, Lee or Choi?"  
  
_Come on, Nino, you can’t possibly sound any more pathetic._  
  
Why wasn't I able to do anything other than standing there, in the middle of the street, asking stupid questions?  
  
Fortunately, he didn’t seem insulted, and laughed.  
  
What a smile he had...  
  
"No, I’m not Kim, Park, Lee or Choi. Are you Yamada, Ueda, Tanaka or Kimura?"  
  
Now his tone was mocking. And I just stood there, stunned, wrapped up in his fresh scent.  
  
"No...", I managed to say. "I’m Ninomiya... Ninomiya Kazunari"  
  
He laughed again. I don't think he was expecting me to seriously reply to that question because he stared at me with a look of disbelief and amusement.  
  
"Oh well! And here I was thinking I'd used up all the surnames in Japan..."  
  
"Do you want to go have some _sushi_?", I suddenly said, ignoring his words.  
  
He blinked and looked at me as if I came from another planet.  
  
_Facepalm._  
  
I had been too hasty in trying to meet him and I came out looking like a desperate nutjob. It’s true I had been searching around for him for three days, so I was totally dying to see him outside of work, but I didn’t have to make it so obvious or I was going to end up scaring him away.  
  
"I mean...", I cleared my throat. "I have some free meal coupons for this _sushi_ place and they expire tomorrow. So I thought maybe you hadn’t tried _sushi_ yet and felt like going, that’s all"  
  
He laughed again. Probably because everything sounded absolutely pathetic.  
  
"The truth is I’ve only been in Japan for a few weeks and haven't had the chance to try _sushi_ yet", he looked at me. "And well, if you say it’s free, I’ll gladly accept your offer"  
  
"Alright", I think I smiled too much. "See you tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. I’m free"  
  
"Do you want me to pick you up? Where do you live?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Where is the restaurant?", he asked.  
  
"In Shibuya"  
  
I had lied about the free coupons for the _sushi_ restaurant, but it was true that there was a very good place in Shibuya, which I used to frequent often.  
  
"OK, let’s meet at Hachiko around nine, then", he said.  
  
I nodded, again with too wide a smile.  
  
I felt like an idiot, standing there, obviously making Mr. Korean Hottie feel uncomfortable as he bowed and walked away, turning around a few times looking at me as if to say 'what a special guy'.  
  
_Damn it! His name..._  
  
I'd forgotten to ask.  
  
And I had also wanted a smoke, but my break was already over.  
  
I went back to my position, set to throw myself once again into the new project that had been driving everyone crazy, but even as I typed at a furious pace, I could not stop thinking about Mr. Sexy.  
  
On the one hand, I was glad I had found him. But, on the other, I was mentally kicking myself because I had made a total fool of myself like never before. I had barely been able to speak but a few words, utterly captivated by his smiles and that addictive citrusy scent of his. I had never become speechless in front of a guy before, no matter how hot he was, and I now cursed myself for having done so. Luckily, there was still time for me to save the situation. That night was key.  
  
When I finished work for the day, I went straight home, took a shower and spent a good amount of time in front of my closet, trying to choose the outfit I was going to wear. In the end, I grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, one of the few I usually wear when I'm not wrapped up in my suit and tie. Then I took a look at myself in the bathroom mirror and attempted to style my hair, but I only managed to look like a geek, so I just mussed my hair and let it fall as it pleased, as I always did. It was then I realized that, for some reason, I was trying to improve my looks for a Korean who smelled like citrus.  
  
_What the fuck, Nino?_  
  
He was just another hot guy, like so many others I had been with. The rest of them had fallen into my grasp with my usual look, so this one wasn’t going to be any different.  
  
It was past eight when I took the train in Chiba, and by the time I reached Shibuya Station there were only a few minutes left until nine. I took the Hachiko exit and sat down on one of the benches behind the statue.  
  
I don’t know what time it was when he arrived because I didn’t even bother to glance down at my watch. If he had made me wait, I'd forgotten all about it the moment I saw him approaching the statue area. He was wearing casual clothes, like me, and... God damn! He had such a great-looking ass in those jeans! Not to mention the way they accentuated his nicely shaped thighs.  
  
I sat behind the statue on purpose, so he wouldn’t be able to see me when he got there, and I could watch him for a little while as he waited, thinking I hadn't arrived yet. Though I could hardly keep myself seated there but for a few seconds. That ass and those legs were calling out for me, so I stood up and walked straight over to him, who had his back to me. I was only a few centimeters away from him, with my hand ready to grab his ass while I whispered some suggestive sentence in his ear, when he suddenly turned around and his eyes widened when he found me so close.

I stopped dead and blinked.  
  
"H-Hi...", I said.  
  
"Ninomiya", he replied, looking down at my hand.  
  
"This isn’t what it looks like", I said moving my hand away and placing it into my pocket. "I was about to touch your arm, when you turned around"  
  
He raised an eyebrow, in disbelief.  
  
I loved when he did that, he looked so sexy.  
  
"Yeah... well...", he said. "I think my arm is a little higher"  
  
"I was only halfway up, I didn’t have enough time to completely lift my hand"  
  
"Sure...", he laughed, still not believing me. "It couldn't have been that you wanted to touch my ass, right?"  
  
Well, Mr. Sexy was the straightforward type.  
  
"No! Er... I didn’t want to... No...", I sighed and looked at him. "I’m not a pervert, I swear"  
  
"Of course not. You’re a cutie", he replied, winking at me.  
  
Was he flirting with me? I would say yes.  
  
I smirked.  
  
"You’re not bad yourself", I said looking him up and down. "By the way, you haven't told me your name yet"  
  
"Kwon Jae Min. Jae is the name", he chuckled.  
  
"Ah...", I chuckled with him. "Jae, then"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"How would you like me to call you?", he asked.  
  
"Everybody calls me Nino, but you can call me whatever you want"  
  
"Nino is fine", he said, showing me a bright smile.  
  
We walked to the restaurant and sat in the back, at Jae’s request.  
  
The tables were _izakaya_ style. They were at ground level and we had to place our feet underneath in order to sit, and aside from that, they were separated by folding screens, so there was some level of privacy.  
  
"Order as much as you want", I said, grabbing the menu. "It’s my treat today"  
  
"I thought you had free meal coupons"  
  
"Er... yeah, sure... that’s why it is my treat, because it’s free"  
  
"Can I see them? I’m curious"  
  
"Eh? See them? They’re plain, old, ordinary coupons"  
  
"I know, but I’ve been living here for barely two weeks now. I’ve never seen Japanese coupons, so it arouses my curiosity"  
  
The mischievous glint in his eyes told me he was lying. Or better said, he knew I was the one who was lying. And that made me laugh.  
  
"OK, you got me. I don’t have any coupons"  
  
"I knew it", he laughed. "It was just an excuse to go out with me"  
  
"You’re hot, what can I say?", I shrugged, showing indifference. "And you know how to eat cherries like no one else"  
  
"Oh! So it was because of that?"  
  
"Yeah, I saw you at the _nomikai_ and it's probably best if I don't mention the effect you had on me"  
  
"I know how to eat more than just cherries..."  
  
He had his dark eyes fixed on me and there was again some kind of twinkle in them, though it wasn’t a playful sort of twinkle anymore. It was the glimmer of desire, one so intense that it caused a shiver down my spine.  
  
I smirked as I leaned forward on the table.  
  
"What else do you know how to eat?", I asked in a suggestive tone.  
  
I remained silent, interested in hearing his reply. But, instead of saying something, he continued to stare at me, with that lustful gleam in his eyes and suddenly, I felt something warm and soft moved over my crotch.  
  
I jumped back in my seat and looked down between my legs to find Jae’s bare foot.  
  
"Take a guess", he said when I glanced back at him, my eyes wide.  
  
After the initial shock, I shook my head and laughed.  
  
"You are completely unpredictable", I said. "I would never have imagined that you were more straightforward than me"  
  
"It’s part of my charm"  
  
He moved his foot over my pants again and I jumped back once more, I guess it was a reflex action of trying to move away a little.  
  
"Stop that, someone might see us"  
  
"Let’s get out of here, then"  
  
"But... we just got here... we haven't even ordered..."  
  
_What are you saying, Nino?_  
  
He was making it easy for me, but for some reason, it made me feel insecure.  
  
If he had been some other guy, I would've stood up right then and taken him to any by-the-hour hotel, but it was different with Jae. Perhaps it was because I was used to being the one in control.  
  
"Do you really care about the _sushi_?", he asked, moving his foot again and looking at me with that mischievous smile still on his face.  
  
_Fuck the sushi!_  
  
"Truthfully, I couldn't care less", I replied as I stood up. "Let’s go"  
  
I walked to the restaurant door and soon noticed Jae following me, which made me smile pleased.  
  
I was finally in control.  
  
That night, I took him to a _love hotel_ in Shibuya, where there were desperate caresses and furious kisses as we practically ripped off each other’s clothes. I also discovered Mr. Sexy was very indulgent; when we had no clothes on, he tried to take on the dominant role, but seeing I wouldn't allow it, he didn’t try to put up any resistance and allowed me to dominate him in such a delicious way that I felt I could stay there with him forever.  
  
Unfortunately, things didn't play out that way.  
  
After three perfect fucks that left me floating on cloud nine, my hot Korean put his clothes back on and said he had to leave because he had to be in the office early the next morning.  
  
"Do you want me to drop you somewhere?", I asked as I started to dress myself as well.  
  
"Don’t be mistaken", he replied, turning around and looking at me with that smile of his. "We had a good time tonight, but you and I, we're nothing"  
  
"Well, we’re coworkers"  
  
"We’re not even that"  
  
"OK, OK, whatever you say", I shrugged.  
  
"In any case, I’m not planning on telling you where I live. You’re so crazy about me that you might think about dropping by my place and that would be troublesome"  
  
_Crazy about you? Keep dreaming, kid!_  
  
"Don’t worry, I don’t want to know", I said, as I buttoned my shirt. "You aren't exactly the best fuck I've ever had. You’re on my _'Not bad, but could be better'_ list"  
  
"Not bad, but could be better?", he blinked in disbelief.  
  
I nodded.  
  
"You’re nothing special. Physically, I’ve been with guys who were loads better than you, and in bed...", I smirked. "You weren’t bad, but you could've been better, which is why you’re on that list. It's the one that suits you"  
  
"Like you're something special. You’re short and your looks are just average"  
  
I could tell he was annoyed. I had hurt his pride.  
  
"Yeah, you’re right, I am just average", I got closer to him, so our faces were but a few centimeters away from each other. "But don’t forget this short, average guy made you come three times, and you screamed out his name more than once while you twisted in pleasure", I smiled and slipped a piece of paper into his shirt pocket. "Here's my number and e-mail address. You know where to find me if you ever want to have three orgasms like today again"  
  
I winked, patted him on the chest, over his pocket a couple of times, and left. Of course, I didn’t stop to pay the bill.  
  
The next morning, when I woke up, I had an e-mail from him.  
  
  
_"You owe me 5250¥  
  
I’m going to kick your ass next time I see you."_  
  
  
Fantastic. Mr. Sexy had completely fallen into my trap, allowing for everything to go exactly as I had planned. He had just given me his e-mail address, most likely without even realizing it.  
  
  
_"I see you liked the hotel bill.  
  
I'll treat you to sushi (for real this time), so that way we’re even.  
  
Nino.  
  
P.S.: Thanks for passing me your e-mail address ____"_  
  
  
It took him nearly a week to reply, but I knew he was only doing it to annoy or test me, so I waited patiently. Actually, I surprised myself by not having wanted to contact him during that time. My pride was bigger than I thought.  
  
It was a Friday afternoon during work when my cellphone vibrated.  
  
  
_"I’ll see you tonight at Hachiko. 9 o'clock.  
  
Jae"_  
  
  
As if I would take him to the same place where we left without ordering, and, on top of it all, the staff knew me.  
  
  
_"OK, 9, but make it at Ginza's clock.  
  
I’m taking you to a different place, where you can’t grope me.  
  
Nino"_  
  
  
This time, he didn’t make me wait a single second for his reply.  
  
  
_"Keep on dreaming.  
  
I wouldn’t touch you, even if you begged me.  
  
Jae"_  
  
  
He was perfect.  
  
I hardly knew him, but the things he said and his way of acting drove me crazy. It was the first time I'd met someone as brazen as myself, and surprisingly, it turned me on.  
  
I went to Ginza that night and waited under the clock.  
  
Jae was almost half an hour late, so I frowned and complained, but he didn’t bat an eye. He had done it on purpose, again, to get back at me for the _love hotel_ incident.  
  
"Are you still mad?", I asked amused as we walked to the restaurant.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"Come on, Jae, I promised to treat you to _sushi_ tonight"  
  
"All the _sushi_ I want?"  
  
"All the _sushi_ you want, as long as I can afford it"  
  
He smirked.  
  
"Fine", he said.  
  
"You like to play, I see", I laughed.  
  
"I love it"  
  
"That makes two of us, then"  
  
We entered the restaurant and sat at the bar, where one of the chefs was blowtorching the mayonnaise he'd just put on one of the shrimp _nigiri_.  
  
"Well!", Jae exclaimed and looked at me. "I want one of those"  
  
" _Sumimasen_ ~", I called to one of the chefs who were free. "May we have some _nigiri_? Four _ebi mayo_ , four _awabi_ and two _maguro_. We would also like some _maki_ : four _sake_ and four _toro_. And two plates of _sashimi_ : one _toro_ and the other _mirugai_ "  
  
Jae watched intently as I ordered, and then watched as the chef nodded and started to make the _nigiri_.  
  
"Ah~", he said, when the first _nigiri_ began to take shape. "So that’s a _nigiri_ , I see", he looked at me. "What does it taste like?"  
  
"You'll find out very soon", I smiled.  
  
When the chef served us the first _nigiri_ , Jae looked at me doubtfully. I laughed and told him to eat and not be afraid, then watched as he grabbed one of the _nigiri_ and took it to his mouth, placing his full lips around it.  
  
I licked my lips and it wasn't exactly because of the _sushi_.  
  
"Uhm...", he said, pondering the taste. "It’s a... different flavor... but it’s good"  
  
"OK, now try this", I said, pointing at the _wasabi_.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"A very expensive Japanese sauce, that’s why they only give you a little bit"  
  
"Ah~ What does it taste like?"  
  
"I don’t know how to describe it, you just have to try it. Of course, if you have it alone and all at once, it tastes much better"  
  
"You’re not going to have any?"  
  
"Since it’s your first time, I’ll let you have it"  
  
"Thank you", he said with a wide smile on his lips.  
  
I waited for him to put the ball of _wasabi_ in his mouth and started laughing, even before he began turning red and flailing his hands like crazy.  
  
"Is it good?", I asked, crying from laughter.  
  
He grabbed his soda and gulped it down, then he started to cough while his face was still stained bright red, and he motioned the waiter to refill his glass.  
  
"You’re the worst...", he managed to say. "Do you want to kill me or what?"  
  
"Don’t worry, I don’t know of anyone who died from eating _wasabi_ "  
  
I couldn’t stop laughing as he tried to breathe normally and had his second glass of soda, even though he was giving me glares full of hatred. That had been my little revenge for making me wait a whole week to reply to my invitation, and for telling me he wouldn’t touch me, even if I begged him.  
  
Once he'd recovered, he tried the things I ordered one by one, and finished by saying that what he liked the most were the _ebi mayo_ _nigiri_ and the _toro_ _sashimi_. To be honest, the _toro_ in that place was delicious, and that’s why I'd ordered it in two different varieties.  
  
_You’re a romantic in the end, Nino._  
  
Upon leaving the restaurant, I suggested we went to another _love hotel_ , but he only looked at me with that mocking grin of his as he shook his head.  
  
"What happened? What did I say?", I asked.  
  
"Nothing. But I already told you I wouldn’t touch you even if you begged me"  
  
"Come on! You can’t be serious"  
  
"I’m afraid so. Actually, I have to meet some other guy in...", he checked his watch. "Ten minutes"  
  
"What do you mean you have to meet some other guy? Didn’t you say you'd go out with me tonight?"  
  
"Yeah. To have _sushi_ , right?"  
  
"You little..."  
  
"You said you'd treat me to _sushi_ to settle things, and I came, so I fulfilled my part"  
  
"Do whatever you want", I snorted.  
  
"OK", he smiled. "Sweet dreams", he crooned.  
  
"You cannot be leaving for real...", I said, looking at him in disbelief.  
  
He was not only serious, but already walking away while saying goodbye, waving his hand with that mocking grin still on his face.  
  
_You’re an idiot, Nino. He just got a free dinner out of you._  
  
Two weeks later, I hadn’t heard anything from him, so I assumed it was my turn to take the first step this time. I grabbed my phone during one of my breaks, and sent him an e-mail.  
  
  
_"I have two tickets to the Tokyo Tower.  
  
Do you want me to wait for you in Hamamatsucho?  
  
Nino"_  
  
  
I was surprised to receive a reply right away.  
  
  
_"Not a chance.  
  
We aren't a couple.  
  
Jae"_  
  
  
I loved him.  
  
He was so edgy, so sharp, so straightforward.  
  
I had to make him mine. The problem was that I had never met anyone like him before and I didn’t know how to handle the situation. He was too much like me, but perhaps that was the problem. I didn’t know how to deal with someone like me.  
  
I checked through his e-mails in my inbox while smoking a cigarette. All of them were short and straightforward. He used only the necessary amount of words, but I thought that by re-reading them I could find some clue that would help me find a way to get to him. And I found Satoshi-Spicy-Curry’s e-mail.  
  
He had sent it around two or three months ago, and I'd almost forgotten about it. I opened it and read it again, this time more carefully, and I don’t know if it was because of my situation then, but his words meant much more to me than the first time I had read them.  
  
Without thinking, I dialed his number, and waited.  
  
"Nino?", he answered.  
  
"Hello"  
  
"I’m so glad to hear from you!"  
  
I smiled. I was glad to hear him too.  
  
"How are you?", I asked.  
  
"Fine. I’ve just finished lunch. You know, afternoon shift"  
  
"Are you still working at the same _kissaten_?"  
  
"Yeah, I was about to get ready to leave"  
  
  
"Oh, I don’t want to keep you then"  
  
"No, Nino, wait. Tell me about yourself. How are you doing?"  
  
"Surprisingly, I’m doing well. I’ve changed jobs, you know. I work full time as a videogame programmer now, and... I’ve met someone too...", a giggle escaped my lips as I said those last few words.  
  
"Awesome! Are you happy then, Nino?"  
  
"I would say so, though I think I need your advice on something"  
  
"I’m listening"  
  
"I have to go back to work now, my break is over. Are you free tonight? We can meet and catch up with each other"  
  
"I would love to. Where do you want to meet?"  
  
"In Shibuya. I know a place where they serve delicious curry"  
  
"Spicy?"  
  
"Of course. As if it could be any other way", I laughed.  
  
We met that night at Shibuya Station.  
  
I hadn’t seen him for more than six months, but Ohno was just as adorable and special as always. He still had those fingers that drove me crazy, and still smiled in that pure and innocent way, but for some reason, I didn’t want to kiss or touch him anymore.  
  
When we reached the small _kissaten_ , hidden in one of the streets behind Shibuya 109, we took our seats and ordered two plates of curry. Ohno looked around and finally fixed his eyes on me.  
  
"So you’ve changed jobs...", he said.  
  
"Yeah, a couple of months ago, a short time after receiving your e-mail. It’s a steady job, not a part time like at the supermarket, and I’ve met many interesting people there"  
  
"It sounds like it was a good change", he smiled.  
  
"Yes, now I work doing something I enjoy, and well, thanks to this job, I managed to forget about you and meet someone else"  
  
"You have a partner? Well! Congratulations"  
  
"Well, no, he’s not my partner, but I’m absolutely crazy about him", I looked at him. "It’s a Korean guy who works in another department, and you can’t imagine how sexy he is. I’ve already spent a night with him, that I would describe as perfect, but now I can't seem to get near him without being rejected"  
  
"Have you talked to him? I mean, about this"  
  
"Are you insane? I'd scare him away. He’s that kind of guy, just like me, who doesn’t like steady relationships. He prefers one night stands"  
  
"Wait, I’m not following you. I thought you said you wanted a steady relationship"  
  
"I do. But only with him"  
  
"He must be a really special guy, then", he smiled.  
  
"He is. Like you were back then"  
  
"Yeah", his cheeks reddened. "I remember you proposing a relationship when I told you Sho had left me. I’m sorry I disappointed you"  
  
"I was hurt, I won’t lie, but I got over it, that’s why I was able to call you. Besides, by seeing you I could confirm there was nothing left of what I felt back then"  
  
His cheeks reddened even more.  
  
"That’s good... I guess..."  
  
"But I didn’t call to speak about that. I need your advice"  
  
"So you said on the phone, and truth is you surprised me. I don’t know how I can advise you, taking into account how many things I've done wrong in my own life"  
  
"I need you to tell me how to deal with a person like me"  
  
"Eh?", his eyes widened with surprise, but then he cracked up. "What kind of a question is that?"  
  
"I’m serious. Jae is so like me that I don’t know how to handle him, and I can’t seem to get close to him like this"  
  
"Well! So you’ve met your match. I'm sure it must be very interesting seeing you two together", he laughed.  
  
"Hey, quit teasing me!", I laughed with him, despite my words.  
  
"Sorry, it’s just that I find it somehow ironic that you’ve fallen for someone so like yourself"  
  
"I know. Now I understand, in a way, how you felt when I said or did things you didn’t expect. It’s a little... disconcerting..."  
  
"Yeah, it was impossible to know what was on your mind"  
  
"That’s exactly what happens to me with Jae, and I’m getting exasperated. I invited him to Tokyo Tower and he told me to dream on, emphasizing again that we aren't a couple. And the very first day we hung out together he said that I was crazy about him! Can you believe that?"  
  
"Well, you are", Ohno giggled.  
  
"I know", I grumbled. "But he’s even more shameless than I am"  
  
"Judging from what you’ve said, it sounds like it", he was pensive. "After the Tokyo Tower thing, have you two spoken at all?"  
  
"No. It happened this morning, right before I called you"  
  
"Love deteriorates your brain, Nino", he laughed. "With all the ingenious things you came up to try and get me to leave Sho, and now you have no idea what to do with one guy who is already single?"  
  
"You were different. You're more docile and understanding, not to mention you hate not being able to make those around you happy. That was a very convenient weak point for me, but Jae doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses"  
  
"Why not try to make him jealous?"  
  
I looked at him in silence.  
  
Why hadn't I thought of that before? It was a brilliant idea. If I dated another guy and made sure Jae knew about it, I would be able to find out whether or not he felt something for me.  
  
"You’re a genius", I smiled.  
  
"I had a good teacher", he said, winking at me.  
  
The rest of the night we updated each other on our respective lives. To be honest, I felt very comfortable with him, and I think he felt the same way. It was as if we had never stopped speaking to each another, and I liked that. Ohno was still someone special in my life, just in a different way now.  
  
I waited a couple of days, just in case Jae decided to change his mind and contact me in some way, but he didn’t. So on Friday, during my lunch break, I went straight to the Korean department and looked for the guy with the earring that I had spotted at the _nomikai_.  
  
"Hi", I said when I found him picking up the things off his desk to have lunch. "I’m Ninomiya Kazunari, I work in the Japanese department"  
  
"Kim Jun Hwan", he replied, bowing.  
  
_See? Jae had to be the only one of them who wasn’t a Kim, Park, Lee or Choi._  
  
"OK, Kim. I need your help with a couple of things from the latest project. Can we have lunch together and discuss it?"  
  
"Er... Yes, sure...", he turned around and looked at Jae, who was sitting several desks behind us, still immersed in his work. "I’ll see you later, Jae"  
  
"Eh?", Mr. Sexy looked up from his computer. "I thought we were going to have lunch with Chang and Hyun"  
  
"Apologize for me. Ninomiya-san needs me to help him with something related to work", he replied, motioning at me with his hand open.  
  
I put on the very best of my smiles as Jae looked at me, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I see", he said. "I hope it isn’t too much trouble"  
  
I put my arm around the guy with the earring’s shoulders, making sure that Jae saw, and pulled him along with me to the company’s cafeteria, where we sat down to have lunch. I kept him busy with questions about the project we were carrying out at the moment, until I saw Jae walking in with two other guys. I assumed they were Chang and Hyun, but I paid little attention to them because, out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Jae had seen us, and so I took the chance to pull out the two tickets for the Tokyo Tower I had bought that morning.  
  
"I bought this to go with someone else, but they couldn’t go in the end. Do you want to come with me?"  
  
"Eh?", he opened his eyes, bewildered, and stared at the tickets, still in my hand. "T-To the Tokyo Tower?"  
  
"Yeah, well, I know it’s a place where families or couples normally like to go to, but since I have the tickets, I thought we could use them"  
  
"I don’t know... I... don’t want to get in trouble..."  
  
"Is it because we work for the same company?"  
  
"Er... yeah, something like that..."  
  
"No one here has to know, don’t worry", I turned the tickets around a bit to make sure that Jae could see them from where he was sitting. "What about meeting up after work in Hamamatsucho?"  
  
"Give me your e-mail address and I’ll give you a reply before the day ends"  
  
"OK", I smiled.  
  
I handed him a note with my e-mail address as I stood up from the table, and told him I had to get back to work as soon as possible because I needed to finish up some coding before the weekend.  
  
Kim was attractive, and I was curious to find out the type of clothing he wore when he wasn’t at work, but still, he wasn’t Jae. And everyone who was not Jae didn't hold my interest enough.  
  
Around an hour before finishing work for the day, I received an e-mail.  
  
  
_"I’ve been thinking about it, and I want to go to the Tokyo Tower with you.  
  
I hope I’m still in time.  
  
Kim Jun Hwan"_  
  
  
I smiled, satisfied with myself.  
  
  
_"I_ _was waiting for your e-mail.  
  
I’ll see you tonight in Hamamatsucho.  
  
Ninomiya Kazunari_ _"_  
  
  
Kim had a demeanor similar to that of Ohno. He was more docile and polite, but the one who turned me on was Jae. The one who was in my mind all day long was Jae. The one who melted me with his smile was Jae. And Jae was the one I wanted in my life.  
  
That night, when I reached Hamamatsucho, Kim was already waiting for me, and I had arrived early. He waved to me and bowed when I approached him.  
  
"Thank you again for inviting me", he said.  
  
"It would’ve been a pity to waste the tickets"  
  
He nodded.  
  
I smiled when I saw he was wearing his earring.  
  
We walked toward the tower, speaking about rather trivial things. We touched the topic of work at some point, and how it might affect us if someone from the company happened to see us together at the Tokyo Tower, and at night. But we soon switched to happier topics in order not to spoil the date.  
  
"I like your style", I said when we were already inside the tower, enjoying the amazing night view of Tokyo.  
  
"Thank you", he blushed. "I change a lot when I’m not at the company"  
  
"Indeed! Though I already guessed your style wouldn’t be that formal"  
  
"Eh? Why?"  
  
"Well, even if you take off your earring, the hole is still there", I laughed.  
  
"You’re right", he laughed with me.  
  
"I like it... It gives you a sexy touch..."  
  
He lowered his head and blushed.  
  
"Thank you", he whispered.  
  
"What do you think about me?"  
  
"Eh?", he looked at me.  
  
I took the chance to get a little closer to him, surreptitiously.  
  
"Do you think I’m attractive?", I asked lowering my tone, almost to a whisper.  
  
His cheeks were stained with a bright shade of red as he nodded.  
  
"Very..."  
  
"Let’s get out of here", I said staring at him, as I slowly ran a finger along his jaw line.  
  
"What a coincidence!", a familiar voice interrupted us. "I didn’t expect to find you two here... and together..."  
  
I turned around and saw Jae standing behind us, with his arms across his chest and a mocking smile on his face.  
  
I couldn’t help but smirk. My plan had worked.  
  
_Bingo!_  
  
"Jae...", Kim whispered and moved away from me, averting his gaze.  
  
"Oh, hello", I said cheerfully. "It really is a coincidence that we happen to run into you here. Especially after you told me you didn’t want to come"  
  
"I didn’t want to come with you"  
  
"I see. Well, don’t worry about me, as you can see I found a good companion. Actually, we were about to leave"  
  
Kim was still looking away, remaining silent.  
  
"He told you that story about having tickets and not wanting to waste them, right?", Jae suddenly said, looking at Kim. "He fed me the exact same lines. He said he had some coupons for _sushi_ , but it turned out to be a lie. He only wanted to fuck"  
  
"I... don’t know... he had tickets for real...", Kim replied, clearly nervous.  
  
It was obvious he was having a hard time and that made me feel guilty. I took a step forward and looked Jae in the eye.  
  
"What’s your problem, Jae? You made it pretty clear that we were nothing to each other, not even coworkers, and you were also the one who didn’t want to come here with me when I invited you first"  
  
Mr. Sexy rolled his eyes. He was furious.  
  
And that drove me crazy.  
  
"You’re right, I don’t care who you date"  
  
He immediately turned around and rushed into the elevator, clearly annoyed.  
  
"See? This is what I meant when I said I didn’t want to get in trouble", said Kim, once Jae had left.  
  
"Eh? What are you talking about?"  
  
"It’s Jae. Everyone knows that you’re his"  
  
_Everyone, except me._  
  
"What do you mean by everyone knows that I’m his?"  
  
"Well, at least in my department they do", he looked at me. "At that _nomikai_ a month ago, I noticed you, but when I told the rest of my coworkers, Jae made it clear to everyone that he had seen you first and that you'd be his"  
  
"Jae said that?", I blinked.  
  
I bet my eyes were as big as saucers. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  
  
"Yeah, then someone saw you two speaking in the smoking area, and Jae wouldn't stop giggling every time he got an e-mail from you"  
  
"Why did you accept my invitation today then?"  
  
"Because I knew that Jae had rejected you... and I thought you had stopped seeing each other"  
  
I stood there, trying to process all of that information in my head, but there were still things that escaped me.  
  
"I don’t get it. Why did he reject me, if supposedly he likes me?"  
  
"I don’t know why. You’ll have to ask him"  
  
Then I remembered that Jae had left just a short while ago.  
  
I might still be able to catch him, if I hurried.  
  
"Listen, I’m sorry, but I have to go find him", I said. "It wasn’t my intention to stand you up, but I had no idea about this"  
  
"It’s fine, I understand. I shouldn’t have gotten in the middle"  
  
"It wasn’t your fault, but I’ll discuss it with you later. Now I have to hurry if I want to catch up with him"  
  
"Yeah, sure, go ahead. Don’t worry about it"  
  
"I’ll pay you back somehow, I promise", I said as I walked to the elevator.  
  
The trip to the ground floor of the tower seemed eternal.  
  
I quickly exited the elevator and had to dodge a couple of people who were buying souvenirs. I ran down the street, toward Hamamatsucho Station, calling out his name. People turned around to look at me, but none of those faces were the one I wanted to see.  
  
"Damn it, Jae! Where are you?", I whispered to myself.  
  
I reached the station and hadn’t found him yet, so I pulled out my phone and sent him an e-mail. If I was going to take a train to catch him, I wanted to at least know which direction I should go in.  
  
  
_"Kim told me everything.  
  
Where are you?  
  
Nino"_  
  
  
The reply came almost immediately.  
  
  
_"Right behind you.  
  
Jae"_  
  
  
I turned around and found him looking at me, with his phone in his hand. He wasn’t wearing that mocking grin anymore and his eyes weren’t sparkling as usual.  
  
"Jae...", I whispered.  
  
"I stopped to buy dinner", he said, holding up the bag he was carrying in the other hand. "I like the hamburgers from this place"  
  
"Kim told me everything"  
  
"What a big mouth"  
  
"He told me what happened at the _nomikai_ , what you said, and that everyone in your department knows I’m yours"  
  
"Yeah, well, I had to make it clear, just in case"  
  
"Jae... tell me the truth..."  
  
He looked around, sighed, and then looked back at me.  
  
"Not here. Come with me"  
  
I had no clue where we were going, but I walked beside him in silence down the same road that led to the Tokyo Tower. I even began to think for a moment that he wanted to go up to the tower again, but he turned just before reaching it, and we entered a public park.  
  
"I had forgotten about this park", I said. "When I was in high school, I came here a couple of times with my friends to see the _hanami_. The girls liked the sight of the tower in the background, you know"  
  
"It’s a peaceful place, I like it here. People normally walk straight past it because they’re more interested in seeing the tower", he looked at me. "I discovered it by chance the first week I spent in Japan, when I didn’t know anyone yet, and come here a lot ever since"  
  
He stopped and sat down on the ground, then motioned for me to sit down next to him.  
  
"Have you had dinner?", he asked.  
  
"Not yet"  
  
"Have this, then", he said, offering me a hamburger.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I bought more than one, don’t worry. They’re good, but they’re small", he chuckled, pulling another hamburger from the bag, unwrapped it and took a bite.  
  
"Jae... there are some things I don’t understand..."  
  
"If you mean my attitude, I don’t get it either"  
  
I remained silent.  
  
"So?", I asked after a few seconds.  
  
"Nino, I know you’re not interested in relationships, so don’t pay any mind to that thing about you being mine. It’s just something I said to my colleagues because I didn’t want anyone else in the company to try something with you, that’s all. If you were going to be with other guys, at least it wouldn’t be right in front of me"  
  
"Who said I’m not interested in a relationship?"  
  
"A guy who works in the cafeteria says he had a fling with you for some time, and you were seeing other guys at the same time"  
  
"Ah yeah, Yasuda"  
  
"Yes, Yasuda"  
  
"We were never a couple. We only slept with each other when we felt like it, that’s why I was with other people"  
  
"He says he asked for a relationship, but you didn’t want one"  
  
"If I didn’t like him enough, I wasn’t going to go out with him"  
  
"Yasuda said that you never like anyone enough"  
  
"That’s not true. I fell for someone not so long ago... and I was the one who was rejected..."  
  
Jae remained silent as he opened the bag and showed its contents to me: two more hamburgers, a large size portion of French fries, and a soft drink, also large.  
  
"You can have whatever you want", he said as he grabbed some fries and stuck them in his mouth.  
  
I grabbed the soda and took a sip, then put it back in its place.  
  
"I believed Yasuda", he continued.  
  
"You could have asked me about it"  
  
"I know, but that guy said you were a jerk, so before you could hurt me... I preferred to pretend I was too good for you..."  
  
"Then it was just a show?", I asked, surprised.  
  
"Well, I am like that, but I exaggerated a bit, to make it clear to you that I couldn’t be messed up with"  
  
"I see. And in the end you were the one who played with me, somehow"  
  
"No, not at all"  
  
"Then why did you keep repeating that you and I were nothing? Why did you make that comment about not wanting to tell me where you live because it would be troublesome if I happened to show up one day?"  
  
"I didn’t want you to know my true feelings. I thought you were a jerk who was just going to use me and then throw me away like some old rag!"  
  
"Is that why you met with that some another guy the night we had _sushi_? And why you rejected me when I invited you to come here? You wanted to give me a taste of my own medicine?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"It was stupid, I know..."  
  
This time it was I who remained silent as I finished the last bite of my hamburger.  
  
"It wasn’t stupid. I actually am a jerk. But I’m serious about you"  
  
"Eh?", he blinked.  
  
"Your personality has turned my world upside down. I wasn't speaking with my ex-lover anymore, the one I fell for, and because I didn't know how to get close to you, I had to turn to him for advice"  
  
"Did you really?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"I’m interested in you for real", I said. "That’s why I made that scene with Kim. I wanted to make you jealous"  
  
"So you knew I was going to come?"  
  
"I wasn’t sure if you were actually going to come or not, but I had to try. I couldn’t think of any other way to find out if you really had feelings for me"  
  
"Oh God! I’m such an idiot. I complicated everything unnecessarily"  
  
I chuckled. There was no one like him.  
  
My Jae was unique.  
  
"You’re an idiot, yes. But the world's cutest idiot", I said, as I encircled my arm around his waist. "Would you like to come to my place tonight?"  
  
A wide smile appeared on his lips.  
  
"Of course. We can go right after we finish this"  
  
I nodded and helped him to finish off what remained inside the bag, then tossed the rest into the trash and walked to Hamamatsucho Station to catch the train to Chiba together.  
  
My apartment wasn’t big, but there was plenty of room for the two of us.  
  
After closing the door, I threw my keys on the counter and we assaulted each other with kisses. I raised my arms so Jae could get rid of my t-shirt, then we laid down on the bare _tatami_ of my living room, where we made love over and over again until we fell exhausted into a deep sleep. Within each other’s arms.  
  
At some point, in the middle of the night, I woke up feeling cold. Jae was still by my side, and had one of his arms on me, around my waist. Trying not to move too much so as not to wake him up, I grabbed a blanket that was off to one side and unfolded it, with the intention of covering our naked bodies. Truth is I thought it was almost a sin to cover up Jae’s nakedness, so manly and flawless, but his skin felt cold and he shifted in his sleep, looking for the warmth of my body.  
  
After sheltering the two of us from the cold of the dawn, I watched his face for a few moments and gently caressed his cheek.  
  
"Good night...", I whispered.  
  
"You’re a pervert", he said.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
My eyes widened. I blinked.  
  
"I’ve been awake for a while now and I saw you staring at my body", he chuckled.  
  
"Oh, shut up"  
  
"You didn’t take any pictures to jerk off to when you’re alone, right?"  
  
"Bah! As if you were that hot. I already told you I’ve been with guys a thousand times better than you"  
  
"Yeah, but I’m sure none of them tried to be more of a jerk than you just to catch your attention, am I wrong?", he laughed.  
  
"That's true, none were as idiotic as you"  
  
He held me tight in his arms and kissed my lips. I smiled as he made himself comfortable on my chest, and stroked his hair until I fell asleep.  
  
The next four months were a dream.  
  
Jae and I lived apart, but we slept at each other’s place very often, especially on the weekends. Having lunch together at work became a voluntary routine and matching our breaks became a necessity.  
  
Also, Ohno had come back into my life. I started seeing him once every two or three weeks, but then we began meeting once or twice a week, so I introduced him to Jae, and our evenings of three became something very present in our lives.  
  
_You must’ve done something right to be this lucky, Nino._  
  
One Monday, while I was having lunch with Jae, my cellphone started vibrating in my pocket. When I pulled it out and saw Jun’s name blinking on the screen, I apologized to my boyfriend and stood up to take the call.  
  
" _Yo_ , Jun!"  
  
" _Yo_ ~ How are you doing, Nino?"  
  
"Fine. I was having lunch with Jae. What are you up to?"  
  
"I’m at a restaurant with Masaki, and I bet you can't guess who came?"  
  
"Surprise me"  
  
"Sakurai"  
  
"Ah, well. I’m not surprised. He’s Aiba’s friend, no?"  
  
"Yeah, but the surprising thing is not that he came, but what he just told us"  
  
"Spill it"  
  
"He’s going on a field trip to Kasumigaura this Thursday"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"To that place where he met Ohno", he chuckled.  
  
"Ah! OK, so?"  
  
"Don’t you think Ohno might be able to go fishing that day?", his tone was suggestive.  
  
"It all depends on his work timetable, I guess", I shrugged.  
  
"Yes, of course. But I thought that perhaps you could suggest him, selflessly, to visit the lake that day..."  
  
"Me? Why?"  
  
"Oh, Nino!", I couldn’t see him, but I was sure Jun had rolled his eyes. "I’m trying to have Ohno and Sakurai see each other. They still think about each other, it’s something I know for a fact. They just need a little push"  
  
I sighed.  
  
I wasn’t sure I wanted Ohno and Sakurai to be together again, considering what Ohno had suffered a year ago. But when Jun told me they still thought about each other, and it would make Ohno happy...  
  
"I can try, but I won’t promise anything", I replied.  
  
"Good. It looks like this Thursday a _ranchuu_ farm will be opening in Kasumigaura, that’s why Sakurai is taking the kids on a field trip there. Make sure Ohno knows about it"  
  
"OK, OK"  
  
"Thank you, Nino"  
  
"You owe me a dinner", I crooned. "Bye-bye~"  
  
That afternoon, I called Ohno.  
  
At first, he was a little reluctant to go fishing on a Thursday, noting that he wouldn’t be able to spend the night in Kasumigaura and, according to him, one day just wasn’t enough to enjoy the lake. He said he needed an entire weekend, at least, but I mentioned the farm of ugly fish and his tone changed immediately.  
  
On Thursday morning I called to make sure he had really gone to the lake and, once he had confirmed it, I called Jun to let him know that everything was going as planned. Now we only needed to wait for fate to play its cards.  
  
Ohno called me on Sunday night.  
  
"Hello...", he said with a giggle.  
  
"You sound happy", I observed.  
  
"You knew Sho would be there, didn't you?"  
  
"What?", I played the fool.  
  
"In Kasumigaura", he chuckled.  
  
"Ah, yes, well... Let’s just say I had heard something, yes..."  
  
"He invited me to his place. Today"  
  
"Oh! You certainly didn’t waste any time", now I was the one chuckling.  
  
"We’ve already wasted a whole year"  
  
"That’s true"  
  
There were a few seconds of silence.  
  
"I’m with him again, Nino. We’re together again"  
  
"Congratulations", I smiled.  
  
"We’ve decided to take things slow, so we don’t mess up like last time... but I still can’t believe it... after a year..."  
  
"You must be on cloud nine"  
  
"I am!"  
  
There was another silence, which I broke after a few seconds.  
  
"Listen, Ohno, I know you’re ecstatic right now, but... Do you really think the two of you can be happy?"  
  
"Don’t worry, Nino. Sho has changed so much you wouldn’t even recognize him. He works at a school now, teaching English to children, and he has moved into another apartment. You should see him, he's nothing like the other Sho. It’s a normal apartment, rather small, and Sho seems relaxed and happy. He told me he’s now the master of his own time"  
  
I nodded, even when he couldn’t see me.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure. I worry that you'll wind up back in the same situation as a year ago"  
  
"You’re always so protective, Nino", he chuckled.  
  
Hearing him laugh made me smile. There was nothing better than seeing Ohno happy, bursting with a zest for life, and wanting to start over again. Somehow, he transmitted all of his positive energy to me, and it gave me strength.  
  
Jae and I were still together, and doing well. We had our little arguments here and there, because the two of us had such strong personalities, and neither of us was usually willing to give in immediately, but we always managed to sort things out. Somehow, it seemed as if we were meant to be.  
  
A few months after that, one of the days we met with Ohno for dinner, I noticed my friend was acting peculiar. We were at an _izakaya_ in Shimbashi, chatting and joking, but Ohno didn’t participate in the conversation all that much and kept spacing out a lot every now and then, as if his mind were in another place.  
  
"Ne, Ohno. Did something happen with Sakurai?", I asked.  
  
With certain topics, I preferred not to beat about the bush and be direct.  
  
"Eh?", he said, snapping back to reality. "With Sho? N-No. Why?"  
  
"I don’t know, you’ve been acting strange all night"  
  
"You’re quiet", Jae observed. "In these past couple of months, I noticed you don’t really speak that much, but when we’re joking, you always join in"  
  
"See?", I said. "Even Jae has noticed"  
  
Ohno sighed and set his chopsticks over his bowl.  
  
"Actually, nothing happened", he looked at me. "Yesterday I told him that I was still in contact with you, after everything that happened"  
  
"I see, and he got angry", I sighed.  
  
"Well, he wasn’t alright with it, but I wouldn’t say he got angry"  
  
"Ah, he didn’t?"  
  
"No, we didn’t argue or anything, but I could feel that he was upset and... I’m afraid of hurting him again..."  
  
"Did you tell him about Jae?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I told him you have a partner now and that you’re doing well together, but I guess it’s natural he doesn’t trust me"  
  
Jae shifted in his seat and looked at us. First at Ohno, then at me.  
  
"What happened exactly?", he asked. "I know there was something between you two, but I don’t know why you always speak so cautiously about it, or what role Ohno’s boyfriend plays in all of this"  
  
Ohno blushed and lowered his head.  
  
At that moment, thanks to Jae and seeing the emotional state Ohno was in, I thought up something that would make Sakurai realize he had nothing to worry about.  
  
"I’ll tell you the story", I told Jae. "But not right now"  
  
"Eh?", my boyfriend raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Don’t worry, just trust me"  
  
Jae ended up nodding, though he still looked a little suspicious, or maybe he was just confused by my attitude. I smiled and looked at Ohno.  
  
"Do you think Sakurai will agree to have lunch tomorrow at my place?", I asked.  
  
"Eh?", Ohno’s eyes almost popped out of his head. "At your place?"  
  
"Yes, at my place. It’s important it’s there. I want to speak about a few things with him and Jae, so that they both know for sure that our friendship is completely healthy, and that there’s no reason for neither of them to worry"  
  
Jae raised an eyebrow again.  
  
"I wasn’t worried at all...", he said. "Until now"  
  
"You can keep on not worrying. Trust me, please", I replied, gently caressing his leg under the table.  
  
"OK", he snorted and looked away.  
  
I looked at Ohno again and insisted.  
  
"Do you think you’ll be able to convince Sakurai, then?"  
  
"I can try... but I’m not sure he’s going to agree..."  
  
"Send me an e-mail or call me if you manage to get him to agree. I’ll make something other than curry for lunch"  
  
"Yeah, definitely better if it’s not curry..."  
  
Poor Jae still didn’t understand a thing, and I think he got mad, but not because he was jealous of Ohno, but because he felt left out of the conversation. I held his hand under the table and laced our fingers together for the rest of the night, to show him that I cared about how he felt then as well.  
  
That night, after saying goodbye to Ohno, Jae spent the night at my place and I made sure our time together was more special than ever. I knew Jae needed to feel me, and I needed to feel him to give me the strength to face what was waiting for me the next day, if Sakurai agreed to come.  
  
Jae was my shelter.  
  
When I woke up, there was an e-mail from Ohno in my inbox.  
  
  
_"Good morning!  
  
Sho agreed to go to your place today.  
  
Are you sure about this, Nino?  
  
I’m a little scared...  
  
Satoshi"_  
  
  
I replied to him right away while I brewed some coffee for me and Jae.  
  
  
_"Don’t worry about it, just trust me.  
  
It’s about time for me and Sakurai to speak clearly to each other.  
  
Everything will be alright.  
  
Nino"_  
  
  
Truth was I myself didn’t know how things would go, and I had an uneasy kind of feeling in my chest, but I hoped Sakurai would understand the meeting was necessary, especially if he wanted his relationship with Ohno to work.  
  
I woke Jae up and sat down next to him on the _futon_ , offering one of the two cups of coffee I had brought from the kitchen.  
  
"Thank you", he said, sitting up to drink.  
  
"Drink it all. You're going to need energy because you’re helping me clean this place"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Sakurai and Ohno are coming for lunch"  
  
"Ah~ I see", he replied, lacing his fingers with mine.  
  
I couldn’t help but smile. In those four months, Jae had come to know me so well he was able to see beyond my gestures or words. He always knew how I felt at every moment, and tried to do something to help me feel better.  
  
Minutes later, we rolled up the _futon_ and tidied around the living room of my small apartment. It wasn’t very big, but I had accumulated quite a lot of stuff over the years and I wasn’t even aware of it until I had to find space to put it all. Thankfully, Jae is far more organized than I am, otherwise I would’ve spent the entire morning cleaning, and probably wouldn’t have finished on time.  
  
When the apartment was finally clean and straightened up, we were so tired that we decided not to cook. We took a shower together and ordered some _sushi_ and _tenpura_ from a nearby restaurant we frequented quite often.  
  
It was some minutes past one-thirty, when Ohno and Sakurai ringed my doorbell. I looked at Jae, who gave me a reassuring smile, and I opened the door.  
  
"Hello", I said with a smile, though my nerves were on edge. "Come on in"  
  
"Hello", replied Ohno with a bow, then entered the apartment. "Thanks for inviting us"  
  
"I felt it was the least I could do", I looked at Sakurai, who had entered after Ohno, but hadn’t spoken a word. "It’s been a long time since we last met"  
  
"Yeah", he replied, almost reluctantly.  
  
"I appreciate that you agreed to come. I know our relationship hasn’t exactly been the most amicable, but that’s the reason why I invited you two here today. I’m Ohno’s friend and I think we should clear the air if we want everything to go well"  
  
Sakurai simply nodded, but it was obvious he would’ve preferred to be somewhere else that day. Ohno watched him carefully, and he seemed tense.  
  
I cleared my throat.  
  
"We'll have time to talk while we have lunch, since that's what you're here for", I said. "For the time being, I'd like to introduce to you my boyfriend, Jae"  
  
"Nice to meet you", Jae said with a bow.  
  
"This guy's Sakurai Sho, Ohno’s boyfriend", I said as Sakurai bowed in return. "They’re practically married", I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
Ohno’s face was stained a bright shade of red, while Sakurai raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I see...", Jae said. "Well, what do you say we all sit down to eat?"  
  
"Yes. Have a seat, please"  
  
The four of us walked to the table where Jae and I had prepared everything for lunch, and we all took a seat. Ohno was next to Sakurai, and I sat beside Jae, so that Sakurai and I were in front of each other. Neither of our two guests dared to take anything from the table until Jae and I grabbed our chopsticks, put our hands together and said _itadakimasu_. They followed suit and we all began eating at the same time.  
  
"I’m going to be clear", I said, looking at Sakurai. "Ohno told me you’re together again and that you had a problem with he and I being friends"  
  
Sakurai didn’t say anything. He kept eating in silence, without looking up.  
  
"I understand your feelings", I went on. "If I were you, I wouldn’t even have come here today, so I guess that already makes you better"  
  
"It sounds funny when you say it like that", Sakurai replied, his eyes never moving from the _sushi_ he was eating.  
  
"Yeah, I know. You must be thinking the bastard who shamelessly tried to steal your boyfriend, actually had the balls to keep in contact with him and then invite you to his place for lunch as if nothing had ever happened"  
  
Jae looked at me with wide eyes. Sakurai smiled wryly.  
  
"Nino... is a good friend...", said Ohno in a hushed voice.  
  
He was trying to help me, but he only managed to make his boyfriend give him a withering look. For a moment, I thought Sakurai was going to explode and start shouting, or that he was going to get up and leave right away, but he took a deep breath and went back to his _sushi_.  
  
_If he keeps holding back, he’s going to get an ulcer._  
  
"Don’t worry, Ohno. This is something I have to fix myself", I said, looking at my friend with a smile, then I focused on Sakurai again. "When I met Ohno in the supermarket, he looked sad. I could tell he was unhappy from the first moment I saw him, and when you got the call from work, and left him stuck standing there alone, it broke my heart"  
  
"Are you kidding me?", asked Sakurai, frowning.  
  
"Listen to me, please. I want you to know the whole story", I looked at my boyfriend. "And I want Jae to know as well"  
  
Jae looked at me in the eyes and simply nodded. Sakurai went back to his _sushi_ with his eyes fixed on the table, still frowning.  
  
"Go on", he said, in a sharp tone.  
  
"That night, I stuck my phone number on the package of curry sauce I gave him, and waited. Whenever Ohno came to the supermarket, he tried to avoid me, but I somehow managed to approach him in one way or another and little by little, I won his trust", I paused. "What I'm trying to say with all of this is that he wasn’t just a whim to me. I was interested in Ohno for real, and he never made it easy for me. He always had you in his thoughts, and was always reminding me how much he loved you"  
  
"That doesn’t make me feel any better"  
  
Ohno set his chopsticks on the table and lowered his head as he listened carefully. Knowing him, he was probably fighting against his own tears.  
  
"I know, and I’m not trying to make excuses for any of us by talking about this. I only want you to know the truth, to make everything clear, so that you don’t think what happened between us was just a whirlwind of lust. There were feelings involved"  
  
"If I am to be honest with you, this only makes me feel worse"  
  
"No, wait, I haven't finished yet. There were feelings on my side. I fell for Ohno without even realizing it, and seeing him so depressed broke my heart. The day you fell asleep at your company, he cried so much that it made me despise you. His heart was torn and he felt so alone that he couldn't bear it anymore, that’s why he called me and I came and picked him up"  
  
"Again, it’s funny how you say you hated me when I was the one at home, worried sick, not knowing where Satoshi was, while you played nursemaid to him behind my back so that you could get him into your bed"  
  
"It was no game, that’s what I want you to understand. To me, you were a rich jerk who thought he could do as he pleased, even if you made someone as special as Ohno suffer with it. That’s why I didn’t mind being selfish and using any tactics available to rip him away from you. I wanted him to be happy, and I was convinced he wasn’t going to be happy if he stayed by your side"  
  
"Honestly, I don’t think you were the one to decide what would make him happy and what wouldn't. Satoshi is an adult, he can make his own decisions"  
  
"I know, but I thought he was blind and wasn’t able to see the Sakurai I saw"  
  
"You were the one who manipulated us like two puppets"  
  
"No, I never manipulated Ohno. I tried to slip into his life any way possible, but I never tried to convince him to do anything he didn’t want to"  
  
"That’s true, Sho", Ohno said, almost in a whisper. "I never felt manipulated by Nino"  
  
"Well, I certainly did", Sakurai stated flatly.  
  
"It’s true that I manipulated you, especially at the end, and I would like to apologize for that. Ohno always told me the one he loved was you, and it reached a point where I couldn’t stand it anymore, and I thought if he didn’t leave you, I would have to get you to leave him. I later realized that it had been a mistake because I only managed to hurt the three of us"  
  
Sakurai looked up and, for first time, he looked directly at me.  
  
"Yeah", I continued. "I’m aware that I was wrong from the beginning, but I’m a very impulsive person, and as I said, I fell for Ohno. And he was suffering. If I had seen him happy with you, I would have never gotten close to him, much less tried to get in between the two of you"  
  
Ohno’s boyfriend sighed.  
  
"This doesn’t mean things are alright between us, but since you’re being honest, I’m going to be honest as well"  
  
I wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction. I knew he was tense and most likely still thought of me as the worst person alive, but it seemed like he was beginning to open up.  
  
"OK", I said. "I’m listening"  
  
"Satoshi and I weren’t alright at the time, but he wasn’t the one who was blind. It was me", he sighed again. "I was convinced that our life was basically perfect and that we were happy together, but it wasn’t like that at all"  
  
"I realized that later on, after the whole mess, when Ohno and I were in contact with each other again", I said.  
  
"I can’t blame you for everything because I am just as much at fault"  
  
"I think the three of us were wrong"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I noticed something wasn’t working in our relationship, but I didn’t dare speak up out of fear of losing Satoshi"  
  
"I'm guilty too", said Ohno. "I should’ve been clear and told you how I felt. And, of course, I never should have called Nino"  
  
"And I shouldn’t have gotten in the middle", I said. "The sensible thing would’ve been to not get involved and let you fix things by yourselves"  
  
"Anyway, despite the bad times and the three of us having suffered a lot, I think we should focus on the good stuff", Ohno looked up at Sakurai and me. "Thanks to everything that's happened, we’re all able to be here today. Sho and I are doing better, and I’ve found a good friend in you, Nino"  
  
Sakurai looked at Ohno with his eyes wide open.  
  
"Nino was the one who called me to go to Kasumigaura that Thursday because he knew you'd be there"  
  
"Eh?!", now Sakurai was looking at me.  
  
"I’m very kind in the end", I laughed.  
  
"Were you really the one who caused us to meet again?"  
  
"Yeah, well, I only called Ohno. Actually, the one who came up with the idea was Jun"

"Matsumoto?", Sakurai blinked.  
  
I nodded and told him the whole story. Then we told Jae everything that happened a year ago. He already knew a part of the story, and he could obviously imagine the rest based on our conversation, but there were details that he still was unaware of and so, the three of us told him about it all.  
  
That afternoon was rather strange, somewhere between tense and happy, but I think it left a good impression in all four of us. Especially after a few rounds of playing video games together, when Jae and I decided to tell them our story. Ohno already knew much of what had happened between my boyfriend and me, but he laughed when he heard some of the finer details, like the time I tricked Jae with the _wasabi_.  
  
Little by little, Sakurai got used to my friendship with Ohno, and our meetings of three soon became meetings of four. I never thought the two of us would manage to sit beside one another at the same table on a regular basis, but I suppose we both appreciated Ohno enough as to do it for him. Besides, in the end, Sakurai was not such a bad guy, and I even wound up enjoying his company.  
  
Sometimes, Jun and his boyfriend joined our group, and the six of us went to an _izakaya_ and then a _karaoke_ for several hours.  
  
They were simple, but special nights.  
  
Nights we still enjoy to this day. _  
_


End file.
